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5d ago

Mammoth Mountain Ski Patroller Cole Murphy, 30, Dies After In-Bounds Avalanche During Safety Work

Officials had warned of very dangerous avalanche conditions after a post-Christmas storm dumped more than five feet of snow.

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FILE: Skiers descend a slope at the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area after record snowfall from winter storms in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., on April 6, 2023. 
In this photo provided by the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, snow comes down on a ski lift in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025.

Overview

  • The slide occurred around 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 26 on Lincoln Mountain during avalanche mitigation, catching two patrollers and sending them to Mammoth Hospital.
  • Cole Murphy was initially in critical condition and died on Dec. 28, while the second patroller underwent surgery for orthopedic injuries and is recovering.
  • Mammoth Mountain suspended operations on Friday and Saturday for hazard assessment and reopened Sunday after patrol evaluated avalanche danger.
  • This marks the resort’s second ski patrol fatality in 2025, following Claire Murphy’s death during February mitigation work on Lincoln Mountain; the two are not related.
  • Murphy’s family and the resort called his service a calling and highlighted the inherent risks of mitigation work that protects guests before the mountain opens.